Toy railroad train and track



1957 w. FRANK 2,782,730

TOY RAILROAD TRAIN AND TRACK Filed Oct. 26, 1954 Il'l FIG.|

INVENTOR. LESTER W. FRAN K AT ORNEY United States Patent 2,782,730 roY RAILROAD TRAIN AND TRACK Lester W. Frank, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 26, 1954, Serial No. 464,713 9 Claims. 01. 105-29 This invention pertains to a toy railroad train which includes a track upon which the locomotive and other cars run.

More particularly it pertains to the combination of a special track and specially constructed cars for positively securing the cars, including the locomotive, to the track, so that they cannot come ofi.

The invention further contemplates a special driving mechanism in combination with the track for positively locking the locomotive to the track so that the driving wheels cannot slip.

It is an object of this invention to lock the driving wheel of a toy train locomotive to the rails so that there can be no slip between rail and wheel.

' Another object of the invention is to lock all cars, including the locomotive, to the rails of a toy train so that the locomotive and the other cars cannot accidentally come ofl? of the tracks.

It is a further object of the present invention to utilize the driving means of a locomotive to lock the locomotive to the rails.

A further object of the present invention to provide a toy-train which will run upside down as well as right-side up.

' or a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive, partially broken away, showing the interior thereof;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure l;

"Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 -3 of Figure 1; 1

Figure 4 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a bracket which may be connected underneath the locomotive;

Figure 5 is a side view, on an enlarged scale, of the bracket shown in Figure 4 mounted underneath the loco motive, only a portion of the engine being shown;

Figure 6 is an isometric view showing the special track of the invention; and

Figure 7 is an isometric view of one of the rails of the track.

One aspect of the invention is the combination of a pair of spaced apart parallel tracks at least one of which has a regularly perforated web and a locomotive having wheels for running along the top surface of the track. There is a motor within the engine and driving gear wheel means are connected to the motor and having a portion located between the tracks with its axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tracks. The teeth of the gear wheel means are in meshing engagement with the perforated track for driving the locomotive.

In another aspect the invention is a railroad track for a toy train comprising a bed. A pair of spaced apart 2,782,730 Patented Feb. 26, 1957 6 -At least one of the webs is perforated at regularly spaced intervals throughout its length.

With reference to the drawing there is shown in Figure 1 a locomotive 10 having wheels 11 mounted on track 12. Inside the car 10 is a motor 13, preferably electric, for

10 driving worm gear 14 by means of shaft 15. Worm gear 14 meshes with and turns the driving gear means which is icomprised of the upper gear 16, shaft 17 and driving gear 18.

The track upon which the locomotive 10 is mounted is shown in Figure 6 and comprises a bed 20 formed of metal, plastic or the like, and'two spaced apart, parallel tracks 25, 26. Each of the two tracks has a lower edge portion suitably secured in the bed 20 as by simulated tie member 28 positioned between the tracks 25, 26 and pushing the tracks outwardly against the raised shoulder portions 30, 31 of the track bed 24. The raised shoulder portions 30, 31 each include portions 32 which simulate the ends of the ties 29 protruding underneath the tracks 25, 26, thereby giving an appearance that each tie is con tinuous, when in fact it is not. This contributes to a realistic appearance yet permits lower cost of the track. Each track has a lower edge portion which is secured to the bed 20, and each has a web portion 41, 42 conperforated, but it is to be understood that both tracksv may be perforated. As shown in Figure 7 the lower edge portion of the track is not continuous. It has a series of notches extending back to the web portion 41 to permit the track to be formed into curved sections as well as straight.

When the locomotive 10 is mounted on the track 12 the teeth of the driving gear 18 mesh with the perforated track providing positive drive from the motor to the track, thereby preventing any slippage in the driving system. As shown in Figure 2 the axis of the driving gear 18 is perpendicular to the plane of the tracks 41, 42, and its upper peripheral edge portion fits underneath and closely adjacent the inwardly extending flange 26 of the perforated track 42, thereby to hold the wheels on that side of the locomotive down to the rail.

As shown in Figure 3, a bracket may be secured underneath the car 10 by means of screw 61 or the like. The bracket 60 has two downwardly extending portions 63 which terminate in horizontally extending end portions 64 positioned underneath and closely adjacent the underneath' surface of the inwardly turned flanges 25, 26 of the tracks 41, 42. The bracket 60 preferably is mounted between the wheels of a truck and serves to hold the car to the tracks. While bracket 60 has been shown in use on the engine car it is to be understood that all of the cars may use them, and that preferably two brackets 60 are used for each car, one with the front truck and the other with the rear truck.

In order to keep the drive gear 18 at all times in positive interlocked engagement with the perforated track 42, a

5 bracket is provided mounted around the shaft 17 im- 0 mechanisms 71, 72 secured to its end adjacent the track 41. The roller mechanisms 71, 72 each comprise an upper roller section 73 and a slightly smaller lower roller section 74 immediately underneath and coaxial with the upper section 73. Means 75 are provided for rotatably connecting the roller mechanisms to the bracket 70. The

upper roller section 73 engagesthe top face ofthe flange 25 and the lower roller 74 engages theinward 'face of the flange 25 thereby. keeping the drive gear. 18 in its properposition. Theshaft'17 rotates within the enlarged bearing portion 69 and anenlarged collar 76is secured to the shaft 17 immediately above the bracket 70 to pre vent the bracket from slidingup on shaft 17. The bore through the bearing portion69 andthe top and bottom surfaces 67, 68'may be made of bearing metal to facilitate easy rotation of the shaft 17 with respect to the bracket 70,

While there have been described whatare at present cgn: sideredtobethe preferred embodiments ofthis invention, it will'be'obvious to those skilled in' the art that various a pair of spaced apart parallel tracks at least one of which has .a regularly perforated web, a locomotive having wheelsforengaging the top surface of said tracks, a motor within said locomotive, driving gear wheel means connected to said motorand having aportion located between said tracks with its axis substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of the tracks and with its gear teeth in meshing engagement with said perforated track for driving the locomotive.

2. A, toy railway systemassetforthinclairn 1, further characterized by said motor driving a worm' gear mounted within said locomotive with its axis substantially parallel to said track, said gear wheel means including ajshaft extending up into said locomotive and including agear connected to the upperend of said shaft meshing with said worm gear for rotating said driving gear wheel;

3. A toy railway system as setforth in claim 2, further characterized bya bracket mounted around said shaft and extending across the locomotive at the bottom thereof toward the other track, and rotatable means mounted on said bracket in engagement with the inside edge of said track opposite said perforated track.

4. A toy railway system comprising, in combination, a

pair of spaced apart parallel tracks both of which have inwardly turned upper flanges ,and at least .one of which has a regularly perforatedjweb, a locomotive having wheels for running on the top surface of said inwardly turned flanges, a motor within said locomotive, driving I gear wheel means connectedfto said motor and located between said tracks below said flanges with itsaxis of rotation substantially perpendicular to theplanti. f the tracks and with its gear teeth in meshing engageme'ntwithr said perforated track for driving said locomotive, the edge portion of said driving gear wheel means being located immediately underneath the flangeof the perforated track wheels for running on said flanges, bracket means mounted for holding the wheels on that side of the locomotive to the track.

5. A toy railway system as set forth in claim 4, further characterized by a bracket connected to said gear wheel means and extending across the locomotive at the bottom thereof toward the other track, and rotatable means mounted on said bracket in engagement with the inside edge of said flange opposite said perforated track.

6. A railroad track for a toy train comprising a bed, a pair of spaced apart parallel tracks the lower edges of which are secured to said bed, eachsaid track having a web portiontconne cted to and rising above said secured edge portion terminating in an inwardly turned flange,

at least one of said webs -beingtperforated at regularly spaced intervals throughout its length to accommodate gear teeth.

7. A railroad track for a toy train as set forth in claim 6, furthencharacterized by both of said webs being perforated at regularly spaced intervals throughout their length.

8. A railroad'track for a toy train comprising a bed surface of' said bed between said shoulders and having a a part of its web in engagement with the said shoulder with the upper flange above and free from engagement with the said bed memben'and a rail securing member resting down upon thelower horizontal edge'portion of both tracks and pushing said tracks outwardly. against said" shoulders "9. At toy railway system comprising, in combination,

a pair of spaced apa'rt'parallel tracks both of whichihavei inwardly turned upper flanges and. one of which has ,a perforated web, alocomotive having a motor and having underneath said car means and having two spaced apart endportions each of which is located underneath and closely adjacent said flanges of said spaced tracks for holding said. locomotive to said tracks, one of said ends of said bracket means including gear means driven by said motorand meshing with said perforated web of one of said tracks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 149,073 Schreiner Mar. 31, 1874. 772,679- Spen'y...; Oct. 18, 1904 2,364,785 Guerrero Dec. 12, 1944 2,700,345,. Cox Jan, 25, 1955 EQBEIGN PATENTS 528,053 Germany June 25, 1931 28,440 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1907 

